My family and I have had VW for years. They are by a wide margin the most expensive provider there is, but up until now I've never complained about that for two reason; they've always had the best coverage area, and they've always had the best customer service. Lately I've noticed their customer service isn't what it used to be (and that's being nice). About a week ago my wife and went to our local VW store to have new screen protectors put on our phones. The guy who waited on us said they don't stock screen protectors at the stores anymore and we now are required to go to a website, register our phones, they will send us the new protectors, then we can bring them into the store and they will install them. They can't stock something as common as screen protectors? What kind of garbage is this? We used to be able to bring our phones into the store with just about any problem and they would take care of it, but now they act like they don't want to touch these phones. If we have any issue with the phone, other than something simple like a screen protector, or a protective case, they now refer us to the Apple Store. While there seems to be a VW store on every street corner, there's only one Apple Store in our area, and it's a 45 minute drive to get there. Then when you do arrive, since it's the only Apple Store for miles around, you end up having to wait at least an hour to get help. This is ridiculous. I also used to be able to go to VW's website for technical support, but lately I'm getting nothing there either. The other day I went on their site and was trying to get in a chat with support, the little box came up and said I was connected with one of their techs, but no one ever responded. I thought we must've had some sort of a lost connection, so I closed that chat and started a new one. The same exact thing happened again, it said I was connected with a tech, but no one was there. I don't know what's goimg on with VW, but I don't like it. This all started several years ago when they did away with the plan whereas if you kept your phone for two years, you would qualify for a phone upgrade at a greatly reduced price. You could get a $500 or $600 phone for $200. They stopped offering this purchase plan and now you have to pay full price for a new phone. I don't know what's going on with VW, but I'm just about fed up with this garbage. If they were more competitively priced it wouldn't be as big of a deal, but they demand the highest prices, so I expect the highest level of service, which they are no longer providing...
What's happened to Verizon Wireless?
- Thread starter grampi
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Was this actually a Verizon store?
Or an authorized retailer?
Not the same thing, by any means...
Or an authorized retailer?
Not the same thing, by any means...
Same here in SW FL.
Been with Verizon for well over 23 years........back when they were Bell Atlantic with the 30 minute Plan 
p)
Never had issues with Coverage, Billing, Customer Service, etc.......
Like what was mention above, sounds like a Store issue.
Just saying.
p)Never had issues with Coverage, Billing, Customer Service, etc.......
Like what was mention above, sounds like a Store issue.
Just saying.
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Few issues here. VW is NOT the same as the Verizion wireless stores. They are in competition with each other. Then end game for the mothership is the stores are needed but keep the services at a minimum until the client base ages out (yes, sad to say when grandma and grandpa pass) and the remaining clients are comfortable with a 99% online experience.
Think about the savings in employees, and management, and all the overhead like stock, rent, lights, heat, AC and multiply by the number of actual stores. Big money.
Think about the savings in employees, and management, and all the overhead like stock, rent, lights, heat, AC and multiply by the number of actual stores. Big money.
A few stores are corporate owned, but most of them are run by third parties. Those used to be marked "Authorized Retailer" on the outside of the store but Verizon doesn't require that any more. If you go to the store finder on Verizon's website you can tell the difference.
Stuff like screen protectors and chargers are Accessories which are sold everywhere. Thus it is hard for a store to make a profit on them.
As others said, the whole industry is moving away from phone stores and "free with contract" phone deals. I've used Verizon Prepaid for years which means always paying outright for phones, usually at Wal-Mart. If you want the latest iPhone or other flagship model it's going to cost you.
Stuff like screen protectors and chargers are Accessories which are sold everywhere. Thus it is hard for a store to make a profit on them.
As others said, the whole industry is moving away from phone stores and "free with contract" phone deals. I've used Verizon Prepaid for years which means always paying outright for phones, usually at Wal-Mart. If you want the latest iPhone or other flagship model it's going to cost you.
It is odd they don’t stock screen protectors for popular phones. My local T-Mobile store does.
As for the “cheap” phones... people didn’t like being locked into contracts, and they weren’t really any cheaper. You were still paying full price for those $500-$600 cell phones, it was just built into the plan vs now you have the plan cost with any additional installment payments tacked on. Currently paying $100, which includes all taxes and fees, for 2 lines with unlimited talk, text, and data with HD video streaming. I remember my parents paying more per month on AT&T for 2 phones that had no text or data and 700 SHARED minutes than I’m paying now.
As for the “cheap” phones... people didn’t like being locked into contracts, and they weren’t really any cheaper. You were still paying full price for those $500-$600 cell phones, it was just built into the plan vs now you have the plan cost with any additional installment payments tacked on. Currently paying $100, which includes all taxes and fees, for 2 lines with unlimited talk, text, and data with HD video streaming. I remember my parents paying more per month on AT&T for 2 phones that had no text or data and 700 SHARED minutes than I’m paying now.
I'll comment on this.
There is no such thing as a free lunch.
No one was ever getting any thing at a greatly reduced price.
Everyone was paying the subsidy for the discount in their bills.
An Example: When our Iphone 4s's finally died, we were paying $156./month.
We went in and bought 2 Iphone 6's at full price, with 0% financing for 30 months.
My cell phone bill went down $28./month to $128.
When the phones were paid off, my bill went down to $94.
We just had to replace our phones last month (mine totally woofed, Mrs Tdbo's on its last legs.)
We got SE's. Phone bill went up to $128. again for 30 months.
Obviously, this is cheaper than the former subsidies.
However, your gonna pay, one way or the other.
I am considering going to Verizon as I have Google Fi and I have never gotten good coverage at my home. Google Fi uses T-Mobile, Spring and Cellular One (I think). They can go between them. But none of those have good coverage at old or new house. Maybe the T-Mobile and Sprint merger will put up new cell towers.
The whole wireless business is maddening these days.
Two or three weeks ago my youngest lost her phone. Her birthday was coming up so I said I'd contribute X for a replacement as her birthday gift if she was okay with it. Sure.
Tried to go into an AT&T store to buy a comparable phone for her. Nope, cannot buy phones, must put them on a payment plan. Got frustrated and had to tell the poor clerk that I wasn't mad at him personally, but I wasn't happy.
Said we'd leave for lunch and check our options. I went online as I was able to get a deal for oilBabe's iPhone 11 last year, but no joy trying to get a Samsung A51 (she lost an A50 she bought on Amazon) for the $300 they were offering for new lines, or contract changes.
The rep offered up some crazy deal that was going to be $175 for three phone before taxes, trying to tell me I was going to save money. I said I was already paying that WITH taxes, so how does that save me money, etc.
Ended up just getting the phone at MicroCenter for $299 + tax and taking it to the AT&T store on the next block and got a new SIM.
At least that was for free
But they want to lock you into 30 month payment plans.
I just want service.
If we were not a supplier for AT&T I'd probably go elsewhere...
Two or three weeks ago my youngest lost her phone. Her birthday was coming up so I said I'd contribute X for a replacement as her birthday gift if she was okay with it. Sure.
Tried to go into an AT&T store to buy a comparable phone for her. Nope, cannot buy phones, must put them on a payment plan. Got frustrated and had to tell the poor clerk that I wasn't mad at him personally, but I wasn't happy.
Said we'd leave for lunch and check our options. I went online as I was able to get a deal for oilBabe's iPhone 11 last year, but no joy trying to get a Samsung A51 (she lost an A50 she bought on Amazon) for the $300 they were offering for new lines, or contract changes.
The rep offered up some crazy deal that was going to be $175 for three phone before taxes, trying to tell me I was going to save money. I said I was already paying that WITH taxes, so how does that save me money, etc.
Ended up just getting the phone at MicroCenter for $299 + tax and taking it to the AT&T store on the next block and got a new SIM.
At least that was for free
But they want to lock you into 30 month payment plans.
I just want service.
If we were not a supplier for AT&T I'd probably go elsewhere...
In my area I don't have a choice. Comcast is the only high speed cable/internet provider and Verizon is the only wireless carrier that has coverage. When I lived in DC the options were countless, but things get pretty limited once you get out of the city.
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I can't speak to how the tower system works in the current year so take this as old information. After 911 there were many issues concerning how the bandwidth was far from up to handling the massive amount of data everyone and their mother was using. We had panels of first responders to discuss the affect as it applied to fire, police, ambulance, and public works. Interoperability was (still is) a major issue so the cell phone can be very important at times.
At the time, Verizion was the major player in building and owning towers. They had a virtual monopoly on them. They leased out "space" on the towers to competitors. This is one of the reasons Verizion usually has the best or widest I should say, coverage. It's also the factor that allows them to charge the burdening prices.
I don't know how far "upstate" Don is as New Yorker's tend to have a very diverse meaning of "upstate." To some upstate is anything north of the Bronx. To me upstate is north and west of Albany
When travelling north on I-87 once you get north or west of Albany and off the interstate cell service tends to disappear. Same occurs in the rural areas of ME, VT, and NH. It sure has gotten better over the years. I've always wondered with the prices we pay for cell use I 
that we don't have satellite coverage. I don't know enough to realize what the barriers are to a satellite system of service for a massive population......another topic.Total wireless is where its at. I paid verizon for over a decade because they were the only carrier with coverage at the vacation place, then found out that total rides on verizon's network for a butt-ton less money. I kept my old verizon phone when I switch, coverage is the same as it always was. Literally the only difference is that I started paying half as much for the same coverage.
Everyone else seems to just now be figuring this out, years after I have.
I was called "crazy" for not wanting to pay for "good service." Now it seems my prediction has come correct: No more or at least much less advertising of "Get this free phone with this plan." All that did was send a lot of accounts to collections agencies...
I just buy phones these days. Pay Apple, or Motorola, or whoever for the phone with a compatible SIM. The "contracts" were more expensive/month when the phones were "cheap". My monthly bill is about half what it used to be. I buy the phone (for my wife and 3 kids, so, more than once a year), pay the monthly, and in the end, I'm not paying any more than I used to, it's just structured differently...
I can't speak to how the tower system works in the current year so take this as old information. After 911 there were many issues concerning how the bandwidth was far from up to handling the massive amount of data everyone and their mother was using. We had panels of first responders to discuss the affect as it applied to fire, police, ambulance, and public works. Interoperability was (still is) a major issue so the cell phone can be very important at times.
At the time, Verizion was the major player in building and owning towers. They had a virtual monopoly on them. They leased out "space" on the towers to competitors. This is one of the reasons Verizion usually has the best or widest I should say, coverage. It's also the factor that allows them to charge the burdening prices.
I don't know how far "upstate" Don is as New Yorker's tend to have a very diverse meaning of "upstate." To some upstate is anything north of the Bronx. To me upstate is north and west of Albany
i am a little east of Albany on the NY/MA border. Around here its the hills and mountains that cause issues. And no one wants tall cell towers as they look ugly. In DE at my new home its flat. There is a cell tower in a cow pasture a few miles away. But must be Verizon.
I have a company provided Pixel 3 on Verizon, zero issues. My wife has a Moto G7 on RedPocket Verizon service, no issues there either. Wife pays $17 a month for unlimited talk/text and 7GB data.
Only annoyance with Verizon is that it's more difficult to find an unlocked phone that supports Verizon vs AT&T and Tmobile.
Only annoyance with Verizon is that it's more difficult to find an unlocked phone that supports Verizon vs AT&T and Tmobile.
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